In 2011, the City of Bellevue and the NE Fifth Street Traffic Committee, consisting of Wilburton neighborhood residents, began to work together to develop a neighborhood plan to help manage future traffic anticipated on Northeast Fifth Street as a result of the Wilburton Connections projects. Through a public process that included a neighborhood-wide questionnaire, a "Two-Way Restricted Access" or “One-Lane Zone” was chosen as the preferred alternative.

This alternative allows two-way traffic on NE 5th Street with modifications to create a one-lane zone on NE 5th Street which will require vehicles in both directions to stop at approximately the Bellevue School District Maintenance Facility and allow only one vehicle at a time to pass. The intent is to provide enough delay to drivers that cut-through traffic will stay on the arterial streets. Traffic Committee members are supportive of temporarily installing the one-lane zone on NE 5th Street to be evaluated to determine if it should become a permanent installation. BackgroundResidents in the Wilburton neighborhood have expressed concern about the potential for increased traffic on Northeast Fifth Street as a result of 120th Avenue Northeast being widened and Northeast Fourth Street being extended. In response, the city has committed to developing a neighborhood plan to help manage future traffic anticipated on Northeast Fifth Street as a result of the other Wilburton Connections projects.

Northeast Fifth Street is currently a low traffic-volume street that connects 120th and 124th avenues in the Wilburton neighborhood. The street undergoes a transition from a commercial and business area at the west end to single-family homes on the east end.

Through the neighborhood traffic planning process for Northeast Fifth Street, the city found that if no actions are taken to improve the street prior to the completion of other planned projects in the Wilburton area, traffic volumes on it are expected to more than double. Volumes would increase from 135 vehicles per hour today to 350 vehicles per hour by 2015 during the evening peak commute, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Northeast Fifth Street Traffic CommitteeThe Northeast Fifth Street Traffic Committee was formed to help the city develop the plan for the street. The committee consists of resident volunteers from the Wilburton neighborhood, representatives from adjacent businesses and city staff from the Transportation, Fire and Police departments.

Frequently Asked QuestionsFor more information about the purpose and need for this project, future anticipated traffic conditions on Fifth Street, assumptions used to predict traffic changes and the timing of improvements to the street, please read the project frequently asked questions and answers document.